North Korea is making its debut at the Paralympic Games, a potential sign of change in a country where, according to activists, disabled people have faced enforced isolation and sterilisation.
Sixteen-year-old swimmer Rim Ju-song, a left arm and left leg amputee, is the reclusive, nuclear-armed nation’s first and only athlete in the London Games, which open on Wednesday. He will compete in the 50m freestyle S6 event.
Nine officials from the North Korean delegation were at the Olympic Park in east London on Monday and said they were looking forward to being involved, although they were unsure about how the teenager would fare.
“He has been training very hard but I don’t know what will happen,” said Kim Sung-chol, the team doctor, adding that Rim, who was given a wildcard entry, had not competed internationally to get to the qualifying standard.
“But the main thing is that we are participating to experience the Games, then next time, if we can improve further, then maybe at the next Paralympics (in Rio de Janeiro in 2016) we can be involved more,” he said in English.
North Korea won four gold medals and two bronze at this summer’s London Olympics, finishing 20th in the overall medal table to register the country’s best performance since Barcelona in 1992.
The athletes returned home to a heroes’ welcome on August 17, with cheering crowds lining the streets of the capital Pyongyang before Premier Choe Yong-rim and other top officials hosted a banquet reception, according to state media.